Sola Ogunbiyi on Writers Focus. #writersfocus

In this delightful Interview, Maria-Goretti Christian brings you close into the hearty and fun loving world of today's Writer of Focus; 'Sola Biyi' ( Sola Ogunbiyi). Sola Ogunbiyi is a Writer, Philosopher, Psychologist, Photographer and an all round creative. She talks about her journey into writing, photography and interest in mental health.

M.G Please tell us about yourself: school and course of study, hobbies, how you began writing, the journey so far, etc.

S.O  Do you mean the name on my birth certificate? Or what I go by? Everyone calls me Sola, but I call myself Sola ‘Biyi (like you know the stage name artists have, *blushes*) which literally means Sola created this.
I went to Lag (yeah, that’s how we call it, if you don’t know what Lag is, ask someone, lol, we are popular like that), I studied philosophy as an undergrad, then masters in psychology (well, managerial psychology) please don’t ask me if I am doing PhD.
I like to write, obviously, lol, but ironically, I don’t like to type, I should utilize the speech to text app, (hopefully it understands my accent), tbh, I like to tell stories, some people would say I talk too much, but I just think it’s because I have an overactive imagination, the storytelling seems like I talk too much. Oh yeah, I am also into photography, I take pictures of children, yes, a handful, but the best people to capture on camera.
I guess many writers start writing from penning random thoughts or daily activities in their diaries; which when I realized I had a knack for writing, then I started my blog, (*sigh*, I barely write there these days), then I volunteered to write for so many platforms, jeez, you can call me the Queen of Volunteer Writing. In retrospect, these platforms enabled me hone my skills, and be confident enough to actually write and sell a book.
If anyone tells you that writing as a full-time job is easy, slap them in the face, yes, I said so. Although, I don’t write full time, I find out if I haven’t written in days, I feel a bit antsy. I struggle with consistency tbh, (hence, the dry spell on my blog), but I learnt from my friend that there are creative highs and lows, so when you are on your high, try as much as possible to create as much content as you can so you can have something to fall back on low days.


M.G  Do you have any current work? What inspired it?

S.O  Err, I am inspired by the Bible, well, and people around me, I read a lott, watch TV series a lott, I can get inspiration from anything, literally, it can be from a baby crying sef, (okay, maybe I’m joking about the last part), but yeah I am currently working on something, tbh, its bigger than me, like I know deep down and I have peace about it, I’ll share in due time. So, fingers crossed.

M.G  Do you share your work before publication? Have you ever encountered plagiarism in the industry?

S.O    Err, well for review, to trusted sources, regarding plagiarism, in as much as plagiarism is wrong, I feel some sort of good feeling that someone decided to cipy me, it means I am doing something good and well, although I haven’t encountered it yet… But plagiarists, please stop, or give due credit to whom its due, these writings are our art, for some of us, its a means of income, don’t rob us of our rights.

M.G   What's the most difficult challenge you face as a writer? And how have you been able to overcome them?

S.O     I think I mentioned earlier, I struggle with consistency, one day I can be on a roll, the next hating myself and all I have written, some days I struggle with self-doubt, I genuinely wonder if I am making an impact… I have a support system, I work with a non-profit on mental health, so I understand the importance of a healthy mind, so I speak up most times I’m blue, sometimes I binge on chocolates, and I feel a tad better, it’s a constant struggle, I have different coping mechanisms.

M.G   What is the most unethical practice/unsavory encounter you've had in the literary industry?
S.O   Err, I’ll say I’m relatively new in the industry, so this may not have applied to me, I dunno if it would be okay to share stories of friends, I have heard of though… No industry is perfect, I guess, stuff happens.

M.G    Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
S.O    Ha-ha, several times, gosh, I don’t want to open my pant here, those days of being a child of the world has gone, so *shhh*

M.G  What other authors do you have as friends/mentors, and how do they help you become a better writer?
S.O  Hmmn, so many friends, as a writer, you meet other writers, and I am constantly in awe of some of my friends’ writings, they genuinely inspire me to be better, dunno if I want to start to mention names, before some people would say I forgot their names. Lol. As for mentoring, hmm, good one, I’m on a hunt for one, so please, if you know anyone who wont mind taking on the role, I’ll be sincerely grateful.

M.G   How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
S.O  Mind-blowing, tbh, I wasn’t thinking of publishing till a couple of years in the future, my editor Shola Ajayi (an amazing gem) encouraged me to do so, I’m glad I took her advice, the reviews have been amazing, I feel like I have a tribe of people who are genuine fans.

M.G      Do you prefer to self-publish or publish under a firm?
S. O   My first books were self-published, as exnihilating as the process was of marketing and sales, it was exhausting, I look forward to having a publisher, that would reduce a bulk of the stress tbh.

M.G    How do you manage environmental factors such as noise, unstable electricity etc?
S.O     Ah, me that reads and writes my earphones blasting music in my ears. Lol. I dunno how to not write without noise, I’ll just sleep off, as for electricity, all I can say is Nigeria would be great, because if I start to talk, lol…

M.G   What’s the best way to market your books?
S.O    Err reviews were the surge for me, once I began to post reviews and feedback from those who had read my books, people began to be curious and wanted to buy…

M.G   What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
S.O   Well, this isn’t set in stone, personally, I spent six months on pre-writing mine… the back and forth, lack of creativity, and trying to hone my skill

M.G   Do you Google yourself/read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

S.O   Well, I dunno if I am blown enough for this one yet, lol, probably due to my lack of not utilizing social media as much, but baby steps, we are getting there, lol.

M.G    Are you a full-time writer? If yes, does your family support your career as a writer?
S.O   Naah, not a full-time writer, I guess I am too restless to be, although, regarding family support, my family members are wonderful oh, my brother helps me design my book covers (he’s a graphic designer) my mom, although she wonders if this writing stuff would be long term, she supports via finance (when she can) and with prayers.

M.G  How long on average does it take you to write a book?
S.O  Err, if I am disciplined, perhaps, max six months…

M.G   Do you believe in writer’s block? How do you think it can be dealt with?
S.O   Yup, I advise know thyself, so you can know thy coping mechanisms, what may work for me, may not work for someone else, like for example my chocolate binge may be someone’s tummy ache, lol.

M.G   What is your motivation for writing?
S.O     I believe God has given me a talent, and if I don’t use it, He’ll be disappointed, plus I get inspiration from people all around me, I can’t even help but channel it into my writing, its like compulsive for me not too. Lol.

M.G   What does literary success look like to you?
S.O   Gosh! You want me to list them all?! Grow my fan base, have back to back tours and interviews, chai, literally google my name and see my works, and yes, receive some awards, and most def have my writings in film or perhaps a movie inspired by me… the list is endless, lol.

M.G  What word of advice would you give an aspiring or upcoming writer?
S.O   Don’t stop writing, even if you think what you are writing is shit, don’t stop
It’s a process, the joy is in the journey and in the end!
Someone out there is waiting to read your writings and their lives would change forever, so don’t be a hinderance
Like the popular Union Bank Ad, ‘’this writing career, you go make am’’, I mean Charles Bukowski wasn’t popular in his time, but his works are relevant and timeless now…

M.G  Over 10 score your fashion sense. Does it affect you as a writer?
S.O Hmmm… fashion, bleh, me that likes to wear snickers or be bare feet all day and sometimes not comb my hair or wear makeup… I would say I have an average fashion sense, mostly because I have friends who raise the bar on what fashion is, so I am always learning from them. So, perhaps a 6. And yeah, I have been inspired about my looks on several occasions I channeled the feelings into my art…

M.G  It was a pleasure having you on Writers Focus.
S.O  It’s a pleasure to speak with you, thanking you for having me, anticipate my next book this year or perhaps books, because everything na double double…

To follow up on Sola Ogunbiyi and her writing kindly follow her on Instagram : @sola_ogunbiyi